Local Development Frameworks
The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 required local authorities to replace their Local Plans and Unitary Development Plans with Local Development Documents (Local Development Plans in Wales) within the next three years.
We are a statutory consultee on these plans and have produced joint guidance, with the Countryside Agency, English Heritage and English Nature to help regional and local authority planners deliver environmental quality through the Government's reformed land-use planning system. For more information please download the Environmental Quality in Spatial Planning and Supplementary files (which includes a checklist).
Strategic Environmental Assessment dos and don'ts
The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive requires plan makers to carry out a systematic appraisal of the potential environmental consequences of the plan or programme. For Local Planning Authorities this requires a Strategic Environmental Assessment for part of the Sustainability Appraisal of Local Development Documents in England and Local Development Plans in Wales.
The Environment Agency is a statutory consultee on the Strategic Environmental Assessment/Sustainability Appraisals produced by Local Planning Authorities. The 'do's and dont's guides below provide a quick reference to help you with the Strategic Environmental Assessment and Sustainability Appraisal of spatial plans.
Working Better Together with local government
The Working Better Together 2000 Memorandum of Understanding was jointly produced by the Environment Agency, Local Government and Welsh Local Government Associations, as a national framework to improve working relations between local authorities and the Environment Agency.
Working Better Together 2003
Following consultation in 2002/03 a revised Working Better Together 2003 was produced that focuses around 10 environmental outcomes we will work towards together.
The Protocols
How these environmental outcomes can be achieved by local action is set out in nine joint technical protocols which provide templates for technical co-operation. They consist of nationally written and agreed working arrangements, and further guidance to be interpreted locally.
The protocols are not binding on local authorities or the Environment Agency and are suggested as models that may be modified to fit local circumstances.
They are:
- Working Better Together 2003, Memorandum of Understanding (Word, 280KB)
- Working Better Together Protocol 1: Air Quality Management (Word, 230KB)
- Working Better Together Protocol 2: Management of Flood Risk (Word, 287KB)
- Working Better Together Protocol 3: Arrangements to Implement the Requirements of the IPPC Directive (Word, 286KB)
- Working Better Together Protocol 4: Waste Strategy and Waste Management Planning (Word, 254KB)
- Working Better Together Protocol 5: Land Contamination (Word, 275KB)
- Working Better Together Protocol 6: Fly Tipping and Illegal Waste Activities (PDF, 41KB)
- Working Better Together Protocol 7: Town and Country Planning (Word, 251KB)
- Working Better Together Protocol 7a: Spatial Planning and Strategic Environmental Assessment (England) (Word, 256KB)
- Working Better Together Protocol 8: Working Towards a Cleaner and Safer Environment (PDF, 358KB)
- Working Better Together Protocol 9: Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation (Word, 325KB)
A simple guide to help officers identify why, how, and when a protocol might be most useful for them is also available:
